Player participation games fall broadly under the categories of games of chance and games of skill. One of the main forms of games of chance is lotteries, which by definition, involve the three elements of: 1) prize, 2) chance and 3) consideration. If these three elements are present, then the game is considered to be a lottery, and is typically then run by a governmental entity. In the United States, lotteries are typically run by the individual states, or collectively by a group of states. In other countries, it is typically the national government that runs the lottery. Countries and states attempt to strictly limit the game play to their geographic boundaries. For example in Austria, while electronic access to the game may be available over the Internet, in order to play the person must have a bank account in Austria and be able to navigate the non-english menu.
Games have been conducted in any of a number of formats. Certainly, live, in person games have been performed. Yet other games have been played and broadcast over a broadcast medium, such as radio or television. Yet other games have been played through active communication media, such as the telephone, or over a communication network such as the Internet.
Various attempts have been made to provide game play over the Internet. By way of example, the game show Jeopardy has been placed on the web at http://www.sony.com.
Various other attempts have been made to extend the general concept of gambling to broad communication media, such as the Internet. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,800,268 entitled, “Method of Participating in a Live Casino Game from a Remote Location” has been asserted in a litigation in against an off shore corporation. The '268 patent discloses a system in which a player may participate in a live casino game from a location remote from the casino. A player interface station, such as a computer terminal or other special input device, is connected by a communication line to the casino. A second communication line is established from the casino to the player's financial institution. The player is presented with an image of an actual “live” game. The player then participates directly as if they were physically present at the casino. A wager is cleared with the player's financial institution to insure adequate resources to cover the bet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,739 to Ronald A. Katz is entitled, “Telephonic—Interface Statistical Analysis System”. The patent describes various operating formats, including a format to be performed in association with television media. Specifically, in one embodiment, a real-time format is provided in which television viewers participate on a real-time basis in a game show for prizes. Expanded audience participation is achieved. Various levels of qualification are provided, such as for a child's television game format is utilized, parental clearance may be required. The use of personal identification numbers (pin numbers) is disclosed. In one implementation, the caller is prompted to identify which of the actual studio of audience participants the caller will be aligned with. Additionally, the caller may be instructed to indicate the extent of a wager. As the game progresses, the individual player's accounts are credited or debited, thereby providing on-going accounting data. In yet another implementation, a non real-time operation is provided. Such a show might involve a quiz for callers based on their ability to perceive and remember occurrences within the show. Pre-registration is optionally utilized. In this implementation, a sequence or time clock could be utilized in order to limit or control individual interfaces to a specific time or geographic “window”. In this way, the caller questions may be utilized across various time zones without the caller having obtained the question earlier than other callers within a given time zone.
In yet another patent issued to Ronald A. Katz, U.S. Pat. No. 5,365,575 entitled “Telephonic-Interface Lottery System”, various scratch off lottery tickets are described. One ticket includes a scratch off ticket having a first concealed area with a matching game, and a second scratch off area concealing a unique number. A player may call a specified telephone number to participate in a second chance game.
Berman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,115 discloses a game show and method entitled “Interactive Game Show and Method for Achieving Interactive Communication Therewith”. An interactive communication system is provided which permits individuals to electronically select at least one possible outcome of a plurality of outcomes of a future event. Successful contestants possibly share in a prize which is associated with the event. A home audience of a televised game show may electronically communicate a series of random numbers using their touch tone telephone to participate in the show.
Recently, various governmental entities and trade organization have addressed the issue of game play over the Internet. Senator Kyl has introduced a bill which could preclude the offering of Internet based gaming, though permitting states to offer Internet gambling. Consideration has been given to requiring that the states sponsored gaming be limited to an intranet, in an effort to limit those participating to persons physically resident within the states boundaries. Various international lottery organizations have promoted similar restrictions, namely, precluding the individuals offering of games of chance, and reserving that option exclusively to the state.
Various lottery formats are known to the art. In one classic format, a pre-determined number of tickets are provided with certain printed matter, such as numbers or other indicia, where the information is then obscured by a scratch off layer. By removing the layer and revealing the underlying information, the ticket holder may determine whether they have won or not. Various extensions have been made to a “virtual” scratch off ticket where no physical product is provided.
A conventional lottery proceeds as follows. First, a series of numbers are selected, either by the player or by some automated selection system, such as by computer. Upon the occurrence of a predefined event, such as on a set date and time, numbers are randomly chosen. Both mechanical methods, such as selection of ping-pong balls bearing numeric designations, or electronic means such as through a random number generator, may be utilized. The selected numbers are then provided to the participants, such as through a broadcast medium like newspapers, radio and television. Finally, the holder or holders of winning the tickets then present their ticket for payment.
In yet another aspect of game play, a typical television presented game show lasts on the order of one half hour. Various shorter format games or shows have been utilized, for example, a football based advertisement or game has been presented by IBM during televised football games under the name “you make the call”. Yet other shorter version games have been presented over web TV or on the game show network.
The television game show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” is believed to have originated in Britain, and has become extremely popular in the United States. The game is a trivia game. While being principally a game of skill, the nature of the questions, or the contestant's knowledge of the potential answers, makes the game at times a guessing game or game of chance. The format consists of one contestant and one host. The contestant is presented with a question and four possible answers. If the contestant answers the question correctly, they advance to a next level, each level being associated with a higher monetary prize amount, which is roughly twice the amount of the preceding level. A contestant is given three “life lines”: a “50/50” where in two incorrect answers are removed, thereby leaving the correct answer and one incorrect answer, the “phone a friend”, wherein the contestant may call a friend by telephone and solicit their response to the question, subject to a 30 second time limit, and an “ask the audience” option where the audience is polled regarding their view of the correct answer to the question. Various safe levels are established, such as at $1,000.00 such that the contestant could be awarded that amount of money in the even that they fail to correctly answer a question. Finally, after a question is posed, the contestant may elect to discontinue play, and to receive that amount of money won at the preceding level.
Various proposals have been made to extend the game play experience, particularly in a scratch-off lottery environment. For example, in Kaye, U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,082, entitled “Personal Computer Lottery Game”, methods and systems for playing a player interactive lottery type game are described. A gaming piece, e.g., a printed card, computer memory, disk, contains a “Destiny Code” which is an encrypted symbolic code signifying the outcome of the particular game of chance to be played by the player. Game play proceeds under computer processor control to reveal whether the player has won, and if so, how much, or whether they have lost. The Destiny Code itself contains the win/loss information, and if a win, the amount. The outcome of the game is forced in that the processor controls the outcome of the game of chance. For example, if the Destiny Code indicates that the player is to win $75, the system can match the prize to the game play such that the desired outcome is achieved. If the predetermined outcome is a loss, the game play will include selection of losing numbers. Computer game play may be either local, such as at a stand alone terminal or remote through an on-line service. When played in the on-line environment, the Destiny Code is input by the player, and provides the encrypted information regarding the win (and amount)/loss outcome. In certain instances, the player may select the form of game to be played, e.g., a murder mystery, a horse race type game, or various card games. In the online environment, the system can store a Destiny Code and not allow the code to be played twice. A history file may include various information, such as the number of times the game medium was played, information about how many times the particular player has played, information about different habits of the player, and general information as to what has transpired in the game. A winning game medium is somehow marked to show that the particular Destiny Code has been played. Receipt of prize money may be made at a local machine or at a redemption location.
PCT Application No. WO 00/39761 in the name of Applicant Ingenio, Filiale DeLoto-Quebec, Inc., entitled “Computer Gambling Game”. The game includes a computer program to provide a sequence of game states, which lead to a game outcome. A game seed is required by the computer program to generate one of the sequences of the games. Each game seed corresponds to one of the sequences of the game states. An initiator code is required to begin game play, that code being printed on an instant play lottery ticket or distributed via a computer network. The computer program utilizes a look-up table to retrieve the game seed corresponding to the initiator code. Oberthur Gaming Technologies has an integrated package of three lottery tickets and a compact disc which is sold through authorized lottery retailers. The compact disc contains a program having various games where entry of an access code is necessary to begin game play. The compact disc permits creation of a password, thereby providing limited access to the game. Winning tickets are redeemed at an authorized lottery retailer. The lottery ticket itself contains encoded information as to the win (and amount)/loss status of the ticket in that the retailer can scan the ticket to see if it is a winner.
Various lotteries have implemented guaranteed prizing structures. One known structure is the so-called GLEPS structure, standing for guaranteed low-end prizing structure. GLEPS prizing requires that some outcomes are at least partially determined. GLEPS prizing is typically used in relatively high turnover type games, e.g., scratch-off ticket lottery games. Finocchio U.S. Pat. No. 5,317,135 entitled “Method and Apparatus for Validating Instant-Win Lottery Tickets” describes various GLEPS systems. The Finnochio system stores the status as ‘paid’ or ‘not yet paid’ of game tickets to be validated. The data is stored in the main memory of a computer. Game play occurs with conventional physical tickets. The electronic system merely validates the ticket.
Despite the wide spread participation in various forms of game play, as well as the suggestions for implementing those games on a mass communication network, such as through the telephone or Internet, the possibility for new games, or improved game play exists. In particular, there is a need for improved games of chance, which provide excitement for the player, and optionally a viewer audience.